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TRAVEL GUIDE: IRAN // THE SIGHTS // THE PEOPLE // THE PHRASES

12 September 2014

Did you know that you don't need a travelers visa to visit specific areas of Iran? -- a fun little fact I actually learned myself today.

After several requests on my blog and Instagram, I finally put together a (super) mini travel guide for the motherland. Of course, as I have only visited 3 times, I am definitely no expert, nor have I managed to explore much of the country. So, I've sourced this information not only from my only limited travels, but also from family and friends who call Iran their home aside from romantics.

THE CITIES

Tehran | As the capital of Iran and the only city most non-Iranians have heard of, obviously, it's worth a visit. Home of famous streetstyle blog The Tehran Times, the president, and a lot of beautiful people. From old historic bazaars to ancient Palaces to the Azadi (photographed above) and Milad Tower, Tehran is not a city that you can explore in a day. Or a year.

Shiraz | The former capital of Iran, Shiraz is one of Iran's oldest and most historic cities. Here you can find the ancient ruins of Persepolis, the Tomb of Hafiz (the most celebrated Persian poet), endless beautiful gardens, and the famous Nasr al-Mulk Mosque, whose stained-glass windows you've probably seen (if you're ever looked up photos of Iran).

Esfahan | We Persians call Esfahan "Nesf-e-Jahan," literally meaning "half of the world." Need I say more? Unfortunately, I have somehow not yet managed to visit this half of the world, but it's definitely on my list for next summer, as it truly is one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. A simple google image search of this city will make you want to get up and pack your bags asap. Recommended sights include the Khaju Bridge (at night!), Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, and the Ali Qapu Palace.

Mashhad | The Imam Reza Mosque is the largest mosque in the world and houses the mausoleum of Imam Reza. The dome is covered in gold and birds. P.S. No cameras allowed!

Kish | A small island off the coast of Iran, Kish is perfect for the more nature-inclined. This tourist resort is filled with tropical parks and zoos, the ruins of the ancient Harireh Town, the Cariz underground town, and a beach famous for its breathtakingly-clear waters and snorkeling. OH p.s. Did I mention unlike the rest of mainland Iran, you don't need a travel visa to visit this Iranian island?! Go. Now. (& take me with you!)

Shomal | Okay well technically "Shomal" is not a real city and just a geographic location (meaning "North" in Farsi) but it's what all Iranians call the trip to the Caspian Sea. Saving best for last (in my opinion). The Caspian Sea is my favorite place on earth that I have visited thus far. The endless blue-green roaring waves, the stretch of olive stores, the constant smell of rice in the air, and ancient forests all make Shomal not only incredibly beautiful, but overflowing with inspiration, bliss, and peace and serenity. It is here where no. 1 on my list of 11 Things About Life I Learned from Iran came from. Still not convinced? Check out my mini photo-diary of my trip to Shomal here.

Statue in central Tehran, Iran, 2014

Azadi or "Freedom" Tower in Tehran, Iran, 2014

THE PEOPLE

Iranians are incredibly warm and welcoming. And I'm not just saying this because I'm one of them. You talk to someone on the train for a few minutes, decide you're best friends, and get invited to dinner with their family that evening. It's just how things work (regardless of your nationality!) That's right, contrary to popular belief, most Iranians do not hate Americans. Or white people for that matter. In fact, because there are so few tourists from Europe/USA, Iranians love meeting white people, and will probably invite them over to their house for dinner faster after a first meet than they will an Iranian.

USEFUL THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

Dresscode | Iranian law requires women to wear a headscarf and long clothing (p.s this is not the same as requiring women to cover all their hair, as most Iranian women do not.) Also, it is taboo for men to wear shorts (except at the beach). Checkout le streetstyle post for a better idea of what to pack and how to wear it!

Driving | To be quite blunt, Iranians for the most part do not really know what traffic rules are. Or speed limits. Or lanes. Or one-way signs. Or any signs. They also like to frequently drive in reverse. Basically, if you have little experience driving in such conditions, I do not recommend you rent a car. Also, good luck crossing streets--you'll need it. :) If you get nervous/car sick easily, I would advise other methods of traveling such as a train/subway.

Tarof | Haha this is a tough one to explain. Tarof is a (I think) distinctly Iranian way of etiquette in which you repeatedly refuse anything that is offered to you until the host forces it on your plate/in your hand. Saying yes the first (or fifth) time is seen as rude/impolite. While this mostly occurs in food-related incidents, tarof is applicable to anything from doing favors to letting some walk into a room before you. Basically regardless of what you actually want, in order not to come off as a rude foreigner, you must refuse food, enter rooms last, fight over who gets to pay the bill, and constantly offer to help people out.

this is so interesting! haha ive noticed theres a few similarities between Egypt and Iran.. we also have a kind of unspoken rule where we are extra shy/polite and refuse food/gifts/favours. I've really enjoyed these posts and i hope theres more to come :)!

Great!I must admit, I would really love to travel one day to Iran. i think the country must be great and I also love how young women dress. How they wear the headband (I hope i am saying it the right way) is really cool!As I have already told you there are some muslim girls at my college that do not dress great. But today I have again seen a young woman (I recognized her because her boyfriend or husband reminds me of a guy i know from college), wearing a headband, sooo stylish! <3

Haha oh you're totally right--I have a few Egyptian friends and they are so incredibly polite, as well! They are some of the only people I can actually tarof with, ahaha ;) Glad you've enjoyed the posts! Thanks for reading!

This looks great, have never been here before, but it interests me a lot. I appreciate all the tips and information too, super!! Thank you very much for the lovely visit and wishes to, that was really kind of you!! I hope you'll visit again soon, if you want to follow each other like on Bloglovin, let me know on my blog :) Have a sweet weekend doll xx Kizzy.

Salam, Hoda! Wow! That was so interesting to read! Thank you for the virtual tour! Iran seems so far away to me and that's why I love reading about cultures that probably I would never have the chance to meet with. But you took me there, I am absolutely honest with you! And how cool they are not racists, I just hate racism! I am sure Iranians are warm as you said; I really want to visit Tehran one day. "Tarof" sounds like "Enough!" haha. Moteshakkeram once again! Have a lovely weekend!

Great post! I can see there's some similarity between Iranians and Indonesians. In my town, people know traffic rules but, I think, they don't really care as long as they get to their destination on time. And it's really crowded so it's scary and very risky.We do "tarof" too haha although we're less shy now xx

oh wow Iran looks like such a wonderful place! I haven't gone out of the American continent but I would love to! traveling is one of my passions and I can only hope I get to visit Iran one day. If I do, I will make you to refer to this post to not miss anything cool :) I love how much you love your country of origin, I have the same feeling about mine, Peru, even though I haven't been there for a while.XOXO

Oh my, this is such a sweet comment! I really appreciate all of your kind words, thank you! Gosh, I really hope you do get to visit Iran--you've nailed the Farsi! (; hahah Thank you for reading and hope to see you in Iran one day!

Gah so cute--thank you! :) Yes the etiquette is such a huge and deeply-rooted part of Iranian culture--it's especially difficult when you live in a country with different standards of etiquette and you tarof and then someone actually takes your food -_- (from experience) hahaha

I haven't even thought about visiting Iran (it's so far away from Estonia!!) but reading your post definitely grew my interest and since I love finding out things about other countries I especially enjoyed your post. pretty much everything you wrote was new to me, I only knew a couple of things before. and how cool that you wrote about tarof. what an important thing to know for any tourist! such a great post overall, Hoda!

Hahah 'Tarof' really made me laugh. There was a convo on Twitter yesterday talking about what makes you want to read a blog, and lots of people said 'sense of humour'. I think you have that one down to an absolute T because you always make me chuckle! Your personality really comes through and I just think you make even a topic I'm not interested in, interesting. So good to receive some tips from you, who actually knows and understands the country, rather than a guidebook. Rosemary x

Oh my, what an incredibly sweet comment--thank you so much! Haha I feel like a travel guide about Iran is not a travel guide without an, er, warning about the etiquette because it's really such a strong part of our culture! Oh my gosh I went to Rasht the first time I went to Iran, several years ago and totally forgot to add it to the list--it is SO beautiful and is definitely worthy of its spot on the top of your list! It's also in the north, by the Caspian Sea (: Oh wait a masters program in Chicago--which university, do you mind me asking? I'm at UChicago right now! I wish you all the best in your travel plans/language acquisition (Farsi is actually so easy!) and hope to see you in Iran next time! c; Thanks for a lovely comment and hope to see you again! xx

Gahh you don't know how much your comment made me smile, Rosemary! Thank you so much for your sweet words! I really appreciate your genuine interest in all of my posts and your consistent encouragement! You are really so lovely and I really appreciate you! <3

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Thank you so much! I study Iranian studies and I want to visit Iran within the next two years or so. As a white woman, I'm kind of scared of how I will be perceived. But I have been reassured that it's safe and people are incredibly kind and polite. Truly I have never met anyone as warm-hearted as Iranians.

Oh, I wish you the best of luck in visiting Iran! It is definitely a beautiful and welcoming place--really, no need to feel nervous about coming over! I am actually going to be visiting Iran for the next few summers doing research on my thesis--if you are ever in iran and need help with anything I'd be glad to house you/lend you a hand/etc!

Whoops! I was referring to this post and just saw this comment--so sorry about the incredibly late (aka 3 month) delay! Is this question specifically for Iran or everywhere? Actually I guess my answer is the same for both aha--I've never seen a mosque that doesn't allow non-Muslims to enter! In fact most would be very excited and welcoming, although also most mosques would ask men and women to observe the religious dress codes when entering--I actually have heard of many mosques that even have a box of headscarves at the door that non-Muslims can wear and enter. :) Again, sorry about the delay and hope that helped!